Gender and distress : the effects of the division of labour on depressive symptoms, marital love and marital conflict during the early childrearing stage of family life

Abstract

The impact of men's and women's daily lives, specifically the division of labour, upon their levels of depressive symptoms, and upon their marital relationship was examined. Depressive symptoms were conceptualised to represent distress in the individual. Reduction in marital love and an increase in marital conflict were conceptualised to represent distress in the relationship. The sharing of the workload was examined as a source of chronic stress, encountered daily, particularly when there are young children in the family. Questionnaire data from a self-selected sample of one hundred and two couples with at least one child five years or under in their family was used. Two models explaining gender differences in the effects of the division of labour were tested. The results indicate that the division of labour is moderately related to distress, that variables associated with the division of labour help explain sex differences in distress, and that different aspects of the division of labour are predictive of distress for men and for women. The findings support a stress process conceptualisation of the effects of the division of labour that is genderspecific. Primary appraisals of the division of labour, particularly violated expectations, contributed to both men's and women's distress. Little support was found for a direct effect of earning income, sharing the housework or the childcare. How the emotional work was shared and the perception of a conflict between what was best for the self and what was best for the family unit was associated with increased distress in women but not men. The findings support the importance of interpersonal variables in understanding women's levels of distress and how these may be related to gender - identity and conceptions of mothering. The findings also suggest that the division of labour may be a relevant area of enquiry for clinicians working with parents of young children